Shabby Chic Boho A strong creative vision is an absolute necessity for any kind of video shoot. It creates a consistent throughline for the project, giving the filmmaker a tangible goal to guide their decisions. If you want to achieve that goal, though, you need to know what kind of equipment to use and how to use it.
Depending on what your ambitions are and the studio you’re using, your equipment needs might vary. While it’s possible to create something passable, or even great, with only a cell phone, that Hollywood polish only comes if you’re using professional tools. Here are a few tips to help you figure out what kind of equipment you need when you’re using a studio for your video shoot and how you can make the most of it.
Start with a Plan
Before you set up any kind of equipment, you need an action plan. Bare minimum, this means creating a shot list. A plan helps you figure out exactly how much work you have ahead of you. It also helps you determine what kind of equipment you’ll need once you’re in the studio and how long you’ll need it for.
At this point, you should also check what equipment the studio might have available for you to use. Lightz Out Studios in San Diego, for example, offers a wide selection of professional equipment for clients to rent on site.
From there, you can start making creative decisions. It’s up to you whether you want just a broad plan or want to get into the nitty-gritty and storyboard every angle of every shot, but putting the thought into the shoot in advance will help you ensure you’re using your time in the studio as efficiently as possible.
Cameras
Your cameras will, unsurprisingly, have a major impact on the final look of your project. The main things to consider when choosing cameras for a project are your scope and budget. Major studio productions use cinema cameras like the ARRI Alexa, which allows them to record in ultra-high-definition 4K, up to 120 frames per second, and information-rich images that provide color flexibility in post-production. Most people, however, don’t need all the bells and whistles, and a good quality DSLR or mirrorless camera will serve just fine.
With the camera body chosen, you can move on to all the associated equipment. Lenses, tripods, memory cards, monitors, gimbals, and more all offer you creative video options. Use your shot list to figure out what you want to achieve, see what you can make work within your budget, and go from there.
Lighting Equipment
A well-thought-out lighting setup can make all the difference in not only establishing mood and tone for your project, but also creating visual legibility. Since they’re built to avoid outside contamination, using a studio for a video shoot gives you a blank lighting canvas to work with.
Many filmmakers have replaced traditional lamps with more affordable and efficient LED panels. In addition to the lamps, a gaffer needs stands to hold the equipment, sandbags to safely weigh things down, and heavy-duty extension cords built to handle the higher amperage that lighting requires.
With the basics in place, you can then start implementing your vision. Utilize reflectors and bounces to subtly highlight your subjects. Play with the color or temperature of your light, creating contrast through differences in key and fill lights. Strategically light—or don’t light—the space, using light to draw the audience’s eye. The slightest adjustment in your lighting can push an image from just pretty to visually arresting.
Sound Equipment
Poor sound quality can make viewers lose confidence in your ability as a filmmaker quickly—and lose interest in your film—so it’s important you invest in a good sound system that can capture high-quality audio for your project. The good news is that by using a studio for a video shoot, you likely won’t have to worry about outside noise ruining your shots.
Depending on what kind of material you’re recording, for instance, there are a few broad types of microphones you can utilize. Handheld mics, like the ones newscasters use, can work well for interview pieces but can also be obtrusive. Lavalier mics can be subtly attached to a piece of clothing, allowing you to record someone without your equipment getting in their face, although they can also pick up rustling and movement and muddy your sound. Shotgun mics can be great for getting natural-sounding audio but need to be mounted on either a camera or boom pull and carefully positioned. For most projects, a combination of two or three mics is often the best bet.
Backdrops
Your backdrop might not be the focus of your project, but it still contributes in meaningful ways. At the very least, your goal might simply be that it doesn’t draw any attention, as you want to keep your audience’s focus on other features of the film instead.
Many studios employ a cyclorama wall to create a seamless background that can be lit in a myriad of ways and captured from multiple angles. If you want to implement visual elements in the background, though, you’ll need to set up a green screen. With chroma-keying technology, you can remove a solidly colored background in post and replace it with whatever you like. It gives you a way to smoothly incorporate infographics, video footage, still images, and anything else you might need. When you use a studio for a video shoot, your background is only limited by what you can imagine.
Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer for what equipment you should use for your production. Depending on the studio you use for your video shoot, what’s available and what’s feasible will vary. Take a step away from the creative work, put your producer hat on, and figure out how you can deliver the material you want with the tools you have. With some careful planning, efficient time management, and thoughtful equipment usage, you’ll get everything you need.
